From newcomers to professionals, there were plenty of fun-filled activities and high-level competitions for National Pickleball Day at the Tampa Pickleball Crew’s Ybor City warehouse.
“It was awesome,” said Susan Forsyth, one of the Crew’s four co-founders. “Pickleball is always fun to celebrate but we did some unique activities. I think people really enjoyed it. Some people took the day off work (on Aug. 8, a Thursday) to come play
pickleball.”
While there were mixed doubles tournaments at the 3.0 and 3.5 levels, the highest division of play came in Men’s 4.0 Moneyball, won by Easton and Dylan Bykowski. Tyler and Kyle Chacon were silver medalists with Gilberto Santiago and Trey Wampler placing third.
While there were plenty of members of the Crew’s programs who came out to support the event, the unique activities Forsyth alluded to drew nonmembers and newcomers alike. The activities were organized by All Florida Pickleball.
David Tabb, a co-founder of All Florida Pickleball, initiated three fun-filled formats that included Up & Down the River, Pickleball Poker and three & Me sessions.
The first one consisted of eight-minute matches with winners earning the most points to move up the so-called river until a championship duo was crowned. For the poker game, players were issued three cards and victories allowed for more cards with the best hand winning. The last session gave players opportunities to be paired up with professional instructors.
“There were lots of different people and different activities,” said Tabb, who organizes tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay area and helped set up a minor league based solely in Florida to help topnotch players ascend to the professional level.
“There were some new people, seeing pickleball for the first time and playing with the pros,” he continued. “It was amazing.”
Tampa Pickleball Crew, which opened its Ybor City warehouse in January, formed in the spring of 2023 and scheduled tourneys primarily in Hillsborough County until establishing its
own location.
Aside from clinics, tourneys and leagues for members, the Crew has hosted kids groups and
innovative events such as a Red, White and Crew series for the Fourth of July, a Single for the Summer tourney, as well as Pilates and pickleball.
Some of the activities that were part of its National Pickleball Day celebration likely will be hosted again by the Crew.
“They want us to do those more,” said Forsyth, adding, “It was a friendly vibe.”
BY STEVE LEE
Times Total Media Correspondent
Photos courtesy of the Tampa Pickleball Crew
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